The Luck of the Irish
Look at a map of Britain, and the island on the left is Ireland. It’s a small but beautiful country with a long tradition of folk music. Up until 10 years ago just about the only thing that Ireland was famous for was its specialty black beer.
Now Ireland is famous around the world for its music with names like "Kenya","U2" ,"Van Morrison"and more recently "the Corers". "Boyzone",one of the world's top boy bands ,is from Ireland too.What's more,Boyzone member shane has twin sisters,Adele and Heavy,who are members of "B Witched"
The "Boyzone"story is interesting because they were created in 1993 by Dublin nightclub owner John Reynolds.They advertised in newspapers to find members for the group and 300wannabe pop stars applied!
Ronan,who was just 17 when he dropped out of school to make his bid for stardom,and shane,who had been working as trained mechanic in his father's garage when he left to join Boyzone,were both lucky enough to be chosen. The other members are shoe-shop attendant stephen lately,former mechanic Mike Graham and one-time clothes store assistant Keith Dully.
Many people expect bands that have been created by the music industry to produce boring music which doesn't become popular. Even the boys themselves knew they the would not easily achieve international pop music success.
Boyzone quickly proved that they were more than just pretty faces and have sold millions of records around the world.At the moment ,they are not big stars in America,but they say that will change,when they begin a tour of the United States.
Ronan will shortly also start recording as a solo artist. That does not mean the band will spilt yet,but we can expect Boyzone to split sometime in the next 18 months or so.Ronan has also recently become involved as one of the managers of new Irish boy band "West Life" whose song "Swear It Again"has recently been Number 1 in the British charts.
小題1:Ireland is famous for         now.
A.its black beerB.its long tradition
C.popular musicD.its scenery
小題2:The words “wannabe pop stars” in the third paragraph mean      .
A.the pops who want to join the band
B.the persons who want to become pop stars
C.the pop stars who want to become more popular
D.the persons who want to be as famous as they are
小題3:Boy zone was formed by       members in 1993.
A.3B.4C.5D.6
小題4:Acording to the passage, we know that        .
A.Boy zone will split some day
B.Boy zone was successful because it was created by music industry
C.The boys in Boy zone were certain that they would be famous one day
D.Boy zone are going to perform in the States for Americans love them very much

小題1:C
小題1:B
小題1:C
小題1:A
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Speech—the act of uttering sounds to convey meaning—is a kind of human action. Like any other
constantly repeated action, speaking has to be learned, but once it is learned, it becomes a generally
unconscious and apparently automatic process.
As far as we can determine, human beings do not need to be forced to speak; most babies seem to possess a
sort of instinctive drive to produce speech like noises. How to speak and what to say are another matter
altogetner. There actions are learned from the particular society into which the baby is born; so that, like all
conduct that is learned from a society—from the people around us—speech is a patterned activity.
The meandering(漫目無地的)babble(咿呀學(xué)語)and chatter of a young child are eventually channeled by
imitation into a few orderly grooves that represent the pattern accepted as meaningful by the people around
him. Similarly, a child’s indiscriminate(不加分辨的)practice of putting things into his mouth becomes limited to putting food into his mouth in a certain way.
The sounds that a child can make are more varied and numerous than the sounds that any particular language uses. However, a child born into a society with a pattem of language is encouraged to make a small selection of sounds and to make these few sounds over and over until it is natural for him to make these
sounds and not others.
小題1:For an adult, the process of speaking usually involves         .
A.conscious selection of soundsB.imitation of those around him
C.a(chǎn) drive to make noisesD.unconscious actions
小題2:The selection says that most babies have an instinctive drive to        .
A.express ideas in wordsB.make speech like noise
C.convey meaningD.imitate sounds around them
小題3:Conduct that is learned from a society may be called      .
A.instinctive driveB.selectionC.a(chǎn)utomatic activityD.patterned activity
小題4:The sounds that a child is able to make are        .
A.not as varied as those used in languageB.more varied and numerous than those in any language
C.far fewer than those needed to form a languageD.completely different from the sounds of language
小題5:We may say that a child has learned to speak if he       .
A.makes varied soundsB.carefully considers each sound he makes
C.makes only certain sounds naturallyD.imitates people around him

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The days of Europeans relaxing in the cafe with a newspaper and a seemingly endless cup of coffee appear to be numbered.A new English expression is popular in Europe these days:“coffee to go.”
“Five or ten years ago it was much more normal to sit in a cafe for several hours than it is nowadays,”says Joann,who works in a central Berlin coffee bar owned by the Canadian coffee and bakery chain Tim’s.
“There is a trend towards a more fast-paced life.But people still act surprised  when you ask if the coffee is‘to go’.You mean I can take it with me? they ask..”
“Europe is often five or eight years behind trends in America,”says Joann.“In the States.‘coffee to go’is part of everyday life.”
Owing in part to Starbucks,it appears to be very much part of everyday life in many other countries too.
The Seattle-based group compete with a growing number of global chains in attempting to reshape coffee drinking cultures in regions including Asia and the Middle East.
The US is the model for continental Europe’s new“coffee to go”culture:Each of the new cafe bars offers bagels,muffins,brownies and cookies to go with the coffee.
But then,“coffee to go’’might sound a little odd to English ears used to the words “takeaway”or take one.
It does sum up the brisker pace of life since the city resumed its status as the German capital following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989.
As one more sign of the changing times,one of Berlin’s most venerable(古老而莊重的)coffee houses,cafe Einstein,has followed the trend by opening a small chain of coffee shops across the city.
Taking coffee,slowly and in decorous(端正的)surroundings,has been a feature of European coffee houses,particularly in German speaking countries,for decades.
For the elderly citzens of Vienna it amounts to a ritual(儀式)when they gather in coffee houses around the city for a cup of their favovrite drink and a piece of rich,creamy cake.
小題1:From the passage,we can see that      .
A.“coffee to go” springs in Europe these days
B.Europe is often a few years before trends in America
C.America often follows Europe’s “coffee to go”culture
D.it’s easy to reshape coffee drinking cultures in the Middle East
小題2:Every new cafe bar offers some        to go with the coffee
A.foodB.newspaperC.drinkD.music
小題3:More and more Europeans have takeaway coffee because        .
A.Europeans live a more fast-paced life now
B.The coffee is much cheaper
C.Europeans are used to taking away the coffee
D.the coffee is easy to take away
小題4:The characteristic of European coffee houses is        .
A.“coffee to go ”as part of daily life
B.sitting in a cafe bar for several hours
C.having coffee slowly in a pleasant atmosphere
D.taking away coffee in a hurry

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Every culture in the world has marriage and wedding ceremonies . Usually marriages are between one woman(the bride) and one man ( the groom). However, in other parts of the world a man may have several wives, or, as in some areas of India, a wife may have more than one husband..
There are also many different kinds of wedding ceremonies practiced around the world. These ceremonies can be very short and simple, or very long and complicated.
One of the largest and most expensive wedding ceremonies in recent times was held in Dubai in 1981. The couple tying the knot at this wedding were the son of Sheik ( a male Arab ruler) Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Princess Salama. The wedding ceremony took seven days and cost $44 million. It was held in a large building which was specially built for the ceremony and looked like a stadium. The bride and groom needed a large place for their wedding because more than 20,000 guests were invited.
The reasons why a man and woman get married also vary. Sometimes they marry because they are in love, sometimes they marry because someone they meet through a matchmaker, and sometimes they marry because their parents tell them that they must marry.
One unusual example of an arranged marrige took place in Bangladesh in 1986.  The groom was an eleven-month-old boy and the bride was a three-month-old girl. They were the youngest married couple ever.
The parents of the bride and groom arranged the marriage as a way of ending a fight between the two families who had been arguing over a farm for twenty years. Both families thought they owned the farm, but no one knew exactly . The fight ended for good when the young boy married the young girl. By arranging this marriage, neither famlily was forced to lose face. The two families agreed to give the farm to the young people.
小題1:What is the best title for this passage?
A.An Unusual Wedding TraditionB.A Short History of Marriage
C.Common Western Wedding Trations.D.Interesting Wedding Around the World
小題2:Who got married in the large Wedding Ceremony described in the passage?
A. a farmer and a neighbor             B. the son of a sheik and a princess
B. a king and a queen                 D. two babies.
小題3:Why was the wedding ceremony in Dubai held in a building like a stadium?
A. The ceremony was very long       
B. The groom loved to play sports.
C, Many people came to the wedding.  
D. People in Dubai usually get married in stadium.
小題4:Why did the families in Bangladesh make their children get married?
A.The children were in love
B.The families wanted to end the fight
C.The families wanted to buy a farm.
D.The bride’s family wanted to sell their farm.
小題5: What was strange about the wedding in Bangladesh ?
A.The bride and groom were young.B.The wedding was on a farm
C. It was an arranged marriage.D.More than 20,000 guests came to the wedding

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

It’s time to do something for your father – the man who for many people has been an encouragement and support since birth.
The third Sunday of June is Father’s Day. The holiday honors not only fathers, but also all men who act as father figures, such as stepfathers, uncles and grandfathers.
The idea of Father’s Day came from the love and appreciation of American lady called Sonore Smart Dodd in 1909.
Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. He raised six children by himself on a countryside farm in Washington State after his wife died during the birth of their sixth child.
When Dodd became an adult, she realized the selflessness her father has shown in raising his children as a single parent.
It was her father who did all for his children. In the eyes of his daughter, William Smart was a courageous, selfless and loving man.[
Dodd’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Washington on June 19th, 1910.
In 1924, US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared the third Sunday of June as Father’s day.
So this is a perfect chance to let your father know what he means to you. To show your love and respect, you need not buy an expensive gift. You can send him a home – made card; You can call him every day; Even you can give him a sweet smile when he comes back from work. All these little things are easy for us to so, but they can show your care and love to your father.
小題1:Father’s Day always falls on         .
A.the same day every yearB.the last day of June
C.the third Sunday of JuneD.June 16th of each year
小題2:Which of the following was NOT used to describe the character of Dodd’s father?
A.LovingB.Sellless.C.Humorous.D.Courageous.
小題3:What does the underlined word “raise” in the fourth paragraph mean?
A.抬高B.飼養(yǎng)C.升起D.養(yǎng)育
小題4:Who declared the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day?
A.President Coolidge.B.President Johnson.
C.President Washington.D.President Lincoln.
小題5:What’s the best title for this passage?
A.Father’s DayB.Being a Good Father
C.Dodd’s FatherD.Showing Love to Your Father

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Food
British people like good food, and more than half of them go to a restaurant every month. Fast food is also very popular---30% of all adults have a hamburger every three months, but 46% have fish and chips!
Sports
British people don’t do a lot of sports. Only 17% of people go swimming every week, about 9% go cycling and 8% play golf--- and only 6% of people play football (but 32% go to watch it).
Cinema and TV
Films are very popular in Britain, and about 60% of the young people go to the cinema every month. At home, men watch TV for about three hours every day ---30 minutes more than women.
Holidays
British people love going on holiday, and have 56 holidays every year. Most of these holidays aren’t spent in the UK---27% are in Spain. 10% are in the USA, and 9% are in France. Maybe this is because the weather in Britain isn’t very good!
Presents
British people don’t send others expensive presents like other Europeans. They often send chocolates, wine and flowers of good quality(質(zhì)量).
小題1: Which food could be more popular among Briti sh adults, a hamburger or fish and chips?
A.A hamburger.B.Fish and chips.C.Both.D.Neither.
小題2:Those who are interested in movies are _____.
A.menB.womenC.young peopleD.old people
小題3:How long do British women spend watching TV every day?
A.Three hours.B.Three hours and a half.C.Two hours.D.Two hours and a half.
小題4: British people’s favorite country for a holiday is _____.
A.SpainB.FranceC.AmericaD.Australia
小題5: What present don’t British people often send?
A.Chocolat es.B.Wine.C.Flowers.D.Money.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Everyone knows that the French are romantic, the Italian are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Or do they? Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?
At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs (實業(yè)家) in the UK found that 70 percent felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public .
Britain is hostile to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy (嫉妒) . As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood”. Jealousy is sometimes known as the “green-eyed monster” and the UK is its home. Scientists at Warwich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money. Some were given a little, others a great deal. Those given a little money were given the chance to destroy the large amounts of money given to others—but at the cost of losing their own. Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this.
This seems to prove the entrepreneurs were right to complain. But there is also conflicting evidence. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently reported that the UK was now the world’s fourth largest economy .That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success. People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. So the British people are not lazy , either .
“It’s not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a Professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. “It’s people using their success in a way that seems arrogant (傲慢) or unfair or which separates them from their roots .”
Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem. They set out to do things in their way. They work long hours. By their own efforts they become millionaires. But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them. It hardly seems worth following their example. If they were more friendly, people would like them more. And more people want to be like them.
小題1:What does the underlined “it” in the second paragraph refer to?
A.One group of people B.A great survey
C.National character D.A nation
小題2:Most entrepreneurs surveyed believe that         
A.they are not popular simply because they are successful
B.the British public are hardworking
C.love of success is Britain’s national character
D.they are considered as “green-eyed monsters”
小題3:What does the result of the Warwich University test show?
A.Two thirds of the people tested didn’t love money
B.Most people would rather fail than see others succeed
C.An imaginary amount of money does not attract people
D.Most people are willing to enjoy success with others
小題4:The writer of the passage seems to suggest that         .
A.Jealousy is Britain’s national character
B.British entrepreneurs are not fairly treated
C.the scientists are Warwich University did a successful test
D.the British dislike the entrepreneurs because they do not behave properly

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Celebrity (名人) has become one of the most important representatives of popular culture. Fans used to be crazy about a specific film, but now the public tends to base its consumption on the interest of celebrity attached to any given product. Besides, fashion magazines have almost abandoned the practice of putting models on the cover because they don’t sell nearly as well as famous faces. As a result, celebrities have realized their unbelievably powerful market potential, moving from advertising for others’ products to developing their own.
Celebrity clothing lines aren’t a completely new phenomenon, but in the past they were typically aimed at the ordinary consumers, and limited to a few TV actresses. Today they’re started by first-class stars whose products enjoy equal fame with some world top brands. The most successful start-ups have been those by celebrities with specific personal style. As celebrities become more and more experienced at the market, they expand their production scale rapidly, covering almost all the products of daily life.
However, for every success story, there’s a related warning tale of a celebrity who overvalued his consumer appeal. No matter how famous the product’s origins is, if it fails to impress consumers with its own qualities it begins to resemble an exercise in self-promotional marketing. And once the initial (最初的)attention dies down, consumer interest might fade, loyalty returning to tried-and-true labels.
Today, celebrities face ever more severe embarrassment. The pop-cultural circle might be bigger than ever, but its rate of turnover has speeded up as well. Each misstep threatens to reduce a celebrity’s shelf life, and the same newspaper or magazine that once brought him fame has no problem picking him to pieces when the opportunity appears. Still, the ego’s (自我的)potential for expansion is limitless. Having already achieved great wealth and public recognition, many celebrities see fashion as the next frontier to be conquered. As the saying goes, success and failure always go hand in hand. Their success as designers might last only a short time, but fashion — like celebrity — has always been temporary.
小題1:Fashion magazines today ________.
A.seldom put models on the cover
B.no longer put models on the cover
C.need not worry about celebrities’ market potential
D.judge the market potential of every celebrity correctly
小題2:A change in the consumer market can be found today that _______.
A.price rather than brand name is more concerned
B.producers prefer models to celebrities for achievements
C.producers prefer TV actresses to film stars for advertisements
D.quality rather than the outside of products is more concerned
小題3:The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 indicates that any wrong step will possibly ______.
A.decrease the popularity of a celebrity and the sales of his products
B.damage the image of a celebrity in the eyes of the general public
C.cut short the artistic careen of a celebrity in show business
D.influence the price of a celebrity’s products
小題4:The passage is mainly about _______.
A.celebrity and personal style
B.celebrity and market potential
C.celebrity and fashion design
D.celebrity and clothing industry

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Each Indian(印第安人)was supposed to keep his birth name until he was old enough to earn one for himself.But his playmates(游戲伙伴)would always give him a name of their own.No matter what his parents called him, his childhood friends would use the name they had chosen.Often it was not pleasing, such as Bow Legs or Bad Boy.But sometimes a name fit so well that the youngster found it difficult to shake it off.If he could not earn a better one from a war later, he could be stuck with a name like Bow Legs for the rest of his life.
The Indian earned his real name when he was old enough for his first fight against the enemy.His life name depended on how he acted during this first battle.When he returned from the war, the whole tribe would gather and observe the ceremony in which he would be given his name by the chief.If he had done well, he would get a good name.Otherwise he might be called Crazy Wolf or Man-Afraid-Of-a-Horse.So an Indian’s name told his record or described the kind of man he was.
A man was given many chances to improve his name, however.If in a later battle he was brave in fighting against the enemy, he was given a better name.Some of our great fighters had as many as twelve names—all good and each better than the last.
An Indian’s names belonged to him for the rest of his life.No one else could use them.Even he himself could not give them away because names were assigned by the tribe, not the family.So no man could pass on his name unless the chief and the tribe asked him to do so.
Sometimes an Indian would be asked to give his name to a son who had performed a noticeable deed.I know of only three of four times when this happened.It is the rarest honor for a person—the honor of assuming(承擔(dān)) his father’s name.
小題1:
An Indian could be given the second name by__________.
A.his fatherB.the enemy
C.the chief of the tribeD.his childhood friends
小題2:
The greatest honor an Indian could earn was____________.
A.a(chǎn) victory in his first battle against the enemy
B.a(chǎn) name given by the chief
C.a(chǎn) ceremony to get his real name
D.the right to use his father’s name
小題3:
If an Indian had more than ten names, it meant that____________.
A.many people in the tribe liked himB.he was a great fighter
C.he had a lot of friendsD.he had fought in fewer than ten battles
小題4:
Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage?
A.The names given by the playmates of an Indian were usually not pleasant
B.The life name of an Indian was earned in battle
C.An Indian could throw away his birth name when he was old enough to earn one for himself.
D.The Indians themselves were not allowed to give their names away.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案